"I've snapped three blades in ten minutes. Is the saw faulty?" We get some version of that question most weeks, and the answer is almost always no. The frame's fine. The blade just wasn't fitted quite right, or it was being pushed harder than it needed to be. The good news is that both are easy to fix once you know what to look for.
Here's how we'd show you at the bench if you popped in.
Check which way the teeth point
A jeweller's saw cuts on the downstroke, so the teeth need to face out, away from the back of the frame, and point down towards the handle. The blades are so fine that it's hard to see this by eye. Instead, run a fingertip very gently along the blade. Stroking downwards towards the handle it should feel smooth; going upwards it'll catch slightly. If it catches on the way down, the blade's upside down.
Fitting it the wrong way round won't damage anything, but you'll get a slow, juddery cut and you'll be tempted to push harder, which is how blades break.
Set the frame length first
If you've got an adjustable frame, like our 3" (80 mm) jeweller's saw frame, set the length before you tension anything. Clamp the blade into the top holder, then loosen the adjustment screw on the back and slide the frame so the free end of the blade reaches roughly halfway into the bottom clamp. Tighten the adjustment screw again.
Get this step right and the rest is simple. Too short and you won't be able to grip the blade; too long and you'll never get enough tension into it.
Tension it properly
This is the bit most people skip, and it's the main reason blades snap. A slack blade wanders, binds in the cut and breaks.
- With the top end clamped, rest the top of the frame against the edge of your bench or bench pin, handle towards your chest.
- Lean gently into the handle so the frame flexes in by a few millimetres.
- While you're holding it compressed, tighten the bottom clamp onto the blade.
- Let go. The frame springs back and pulls the blade tight.
Pluck the blade like a guitar string. You want a clear, high ping. A dull thud means it's too loose, so take it out and go again. Don't overdo the lean, though; you're flexing the frame slightly, not bending it.
Piercing out a shape from the middle
Want to cut a window or a shape inside a piece rather than from the edge? Drill a small pilot hole in the waste area first. Clamp the blade in the top holder as normal, thread the loose end through the hole from the front of your work, then tension and clamp the bottom end as above. The metal sits on the blade while you saw, and when you've finished you just undo the bottom clamp to slide it off.
This is where frame depth matters. A deeper frame, like the 4" (100 mm) German-style frame, lets you reach further in from the edge of a sheet before the back of the frame gets in the way.
How to saw without snapping blades
Once the blade's in and tight, technique does the rest:
- Keep the saw upright. Hold the frame vertical and your work flat on a bench pin. Tilting the blade twists it in the cut.
- Let the blade do the work. Long, relaxed strokes using most of the blade's length. If you're gripping hard or pushing forwards, ease off.
- Lubricate. Drawing the blade through a bit of beeswax or a cutting lubricant now and then makes everything smoother.
- Turn corners on the spot. Keep the saw moving up and down without pushing forwards, and slowly turn the work (not the saw) until you're facing the new direction.
- Backing out? Keep sawing gently while you draw it back. Pulling a stationary blade out of a tight cut is a classic snapping moment.
- Match the blade to the metal. A common rule of thumb is to have at least two or three teeth in the metal at once. Very fine blades on thick sheet are slow; coarse blades on thin sheet tend to catch.
A few common mistakes
Overtightening the thumbscrews until they cut into the blade is one. Firm is enough. Another is sawing with the work hanging over thin air instead of supported on a bench pin, so it flexes and grabs the blade. And don't worry about breaking blades as you learn. Everyone does, and they're a consumable. Once your tension and stroke are right you'll find they last a lot longer.
If you're starting from scratch, our beginner jewellery making tool kit includes a 3" piercing saw frame alongside pliers and needle files, which covers most first projects.
You'll find all our frames, plus vices, mitre jigs and other bench tools, in the Bench Tools, Vices & Saws collection. Not sure which frame suits the work you're planning? Drop us a message and we'll happily help you choose.